Mateʹrialism

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The doctrines of a Materialist, who maintains that the soul and spirit are effects of matter. The orthodox doctrine is that the soul is distinct from the body, and is a portion of the Divine essence breathed into the body. A materialist, of course, does not believe in a “spiritual deity” distinct from matter. Tertullian contended that the Bible proves the soul to be “material,” and he charges the “spiritual” view to the heretical doctrines of the Platonic school.